The Vision of the Measuring Line
1 In another vision I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 “Where are you going?” I asked.
“To measure Jerusalem,” he answered, “to see how long and how wide it is.”
3 Then I saw the angel who had been speaking to me step forward, and another angel came to meet him. 4 The first one said to the other, “Run and tell that young man with the measuring line that there are going to be so many people and so much livestock in Jerusalem that it will be too big to have walls. 5 The Lord has promised that he himself will be a wall of fire around the city to protect it and that he will live there in all his glory.”
The Exiles Are Called to Come Home
6-7 The Lord said to his people, “I scattered you in all directions. But now, you exiles, escape from Babylonia and return to Jerusalem. 8 Anyone who strikes you strikes what is most precious to me.”
So the Lord Almighty sent me with this message for the nations that had plundered his people: 9 “The Lord himself will fight against you, and you will be plundered by the people who were once your servants.”
When this happens, everyone will know that the Lord Almighty sent me.
10 The Lord said, “Sing for joy, people of Jerusalem! I am coming to live among you!”
11 At that time many nations will come to the Lord and become his people. He will live among you, and you will know that he has sent me to you. 12 Once again Judah will be the special possession of the Lord in his sacred land, and Jerusalem will be the city he loves most of all.
13 Be silent, everyone, in the presence of the Lord, for he is coming from his holy dwelling place.
رؤيا حبل المساحة
1 ورَفَعْتُ عينَيَّ فرَأيتُ رَجُلا وبـيدِهِ حَبلُ مِساحةٍ. 2 فقُلتُ: «إلى أينَ أنتَ ذاهبٌ؟» فقالَ لي: «لأمسَحَ أُورُشليمَ لأرى كم عَرضُها وكم طولُها». 3 فخرَجَ الملاكُ المُتكلِّمُ معي، وخرَجَ معَهُ ملاكٌ آخَرُ لِلقائِهِ. 4 فقالَ لَه الأوَّلُ: «أسرِعْ وقُلْ لهذا الفتى: ستكونُ أُورُشليمُ مُتَّسَعا مِنَ الأرضِ بغيرِ أسوارٍ مِنْ كثرةِ البشَرِ والبَهائِمِ فيها، 5 والرّبُّ وَعدَ أنْ يكونَ لها سُورُ نارٍ مِنْ حَولِها ومَجدا في داخِلِها».
دعوة المسبـيين إلى العودة
6 وقالَ الرّبُّ: «هَيَّا، هَيَّا، اهرُبُوا مِنْ أرضِ الشِّمالِ، فأنا الّذي شتَّتكُم في أربعِ رياحِ السَّماءِ. 7 هيَّا إلى النَّجاةِ يا أهلَ أُورُشليمَ المُقيمينَ في بابلَ. 8 مَنْ يمَسَّكُم يَمسُّ حدَقَةَ عينِهِ». ذلِكَ ما قالَ الرّبُّ القديرُ حينَ أكرمني فأرسلَني إلى الأمَمِ الّذينَ جعَلوكُم غَنيمةً لهُم.
9 وقالَ الرّبُّ: «سأَهزُّ يَدي علَيهِم فيكونونَ غنيمةً لِلّذينَ استَعبدُوهُم». عِندَما يَحدُثُ ذلِكَ تَعلمونَ أنَّ الرّبَّ القديرَ أرسلَني.
10 وقالَ الرّبُّ: «رنِّمي وافرحي يا بِنتَ صِهيَونَ، فها أنا آتي وأسكُنُ في وسَطِكِ». 11 في ذلِكَ اليومِ يَنتَمي أُمَمٌ كثيرونَ إلى الرّبِّ ويكونونَ لَه شعبا، فيسكُنُ في وسَطِكِ. هكذا تَعلَمينَ أنَّ الرّبَّ القديرَ أرسلَني إليكِ. 12 ويُورِّثُ الرّبُّ يَهوذا نَصيـبَهُ في الأرضِ المُقدَّسةِ، ويعودُ يختارُ أُورُشليمَ.
13 لِـيسكُتْ كلُّ بشَرٍ أمامَ وجهِ الرّبِّ، لأنَّهُ أغارَ علَينا مِنْ مَسكِنِهِ المُقدَّسِ.